Letter: Chaos in the judiciary

Chief Justice Harifin A. Tumpa of the Supreme Court of has joined the bandwagon of public opinion by expressing his views that the police should stop the Chandra/Bibit case due to lack of supporting evidence. Furthermore, he proposed an executive act - which is outside his jurisdiction - that the President should reinstall the two non-active commissioners in their positions at the KPK. We all know that at present the police and the AGO are still proceeding with the case of the two commissioners.

As chief justice, by prematurely giving a "verdict", without even considering the legal facts to be presented in the court of the first instance, the district court (Pengadilan Negeri) and later to the higher courts of justice, he jeopardized the impartiality, integrity and the dignity of the judiciary.

Consequently, there is no need now to present the case to the court because the chief justice has already given his directives which would be very difficult for the lower courts to contradict.

It is important to raise this matter; otherwise we will see future law cases being settled by public opinion, ad hoc teams and a chief justice who arbitrarily gives his verdict.

Soebagjo Soetadji
Jakarta